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B2B Companies Ramping Up Data-Driven Marketing

B2B marketers recognize the need for a data-driven approach to marketing. Fully eight in ten (80%) say they are spending more time and resources on critical marketing metrics in 2012, according to a survey from Pardot.

However, B2B companies continue to face challenges related to capturing and using various metrics, Pardot found.

Among those surveyed, lack of time and resources is the biggest obstacle to measuring marketing (40%), followed by inadequate tools to track leads through the sales cycle (29%).

Despite challenges in measuring marketing, lead qualification is critical for B2B companies.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of B2B marketers say their company has developed a set of standards—sometimes referred to as marketing qualified leads (MQLs)—in order to qualify leads.

Below, other findings from Pardot's survey of B2B marketers.

B2B marketers use a variety of criteria to qualify leads:

51% qualify leads based on a combination of both demographic factors and a person's actions.

22% qualify based on a person's actions (requested a white paper, visited a particular page on website, watched a video, etc.).